“I thank You and praise You, O God of my fathers; You have given me wisdom and might and have now made known to me what we asked of You, for You have made known to us the king’s demand” (Daniel 2:23).
Thank you” is a common expression of appreciation toward another person. It’s also the title of half a dozen movies, more than a dozen music albums, and over sixty songs. But there’s a lot more than a tune packed inside those two little words.
Gratitude is an attitude that leads to good health. Scientists asked one group of people to write down things they were thankful for on a weekly basis and another group to journal their difficulties or other routine life events. They found that those who kept a gratitude journal exercised more regularly, had fewer physical ailments, and felt better about life as a whole.
Just a one-time act of thoughtful appreciation expressed toward an- other can have positive results. One psychological study found that just sincerely saying “thank you” to another produced an immediate 10 percent increase in happiness and reduced depressive symptoms by 35 percent. Even kids aged eight to eleven can receive benefits from being thankful. Psychologist Jeffrey Froh developed a gratitude curriculum for children that measurably increased their positive emotions in a long-lasting way.
When the prophet Daniel learned that King Nebuchadnezzar was ready to kill all the wise men in his kingdom because they could not interpret his dream, Daniel approached the king and asked for time. He and his friends then prayed, and God answered by giving Daniel an understanding of the king’s night vision. But before sharing it with the ruler, “Daniel blessed the God of heaven” (Daniel 2:19). Part of his prayer was, “I thank You and praise You, O God of my fathers; You have given me wisdom and might” (verse 23).
How often are we quick to ask God for a blessing but slow to thank Him when we receive it? Let’s be more like Daniel and always “give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!” (Psalm 118:1).
Father, thank You for the many gifts and blessings You shower on me each day. I am grateful for Your constant love and faithfulness toward me.
